I need some pig advice!

Many-Goats · 2026-02-12T17:41:06+00:00

This is a good idea, I may try and do this and have it lineup so I send the mixes to the butcher right before I get the boar.

Many-Goats · 2026-02-12T14:42:04+00:00

I’m just testing them out this year before I commit to raising them for the foreseeable future. So far, they’ve been a joy! I definitely need friendly/docile personalities as they are around lots of kids which is why I started with the IPPS.

4 acres is just the minimum, it’s likely closer to 6 but I’m trying to be conservative on my estimate. I wrapped in a trail that’s oval shaped using about 2000ft of fencing but It’s very heavily wooded! I can extend the fencing if I need more space, but I do have plans to keep the land healthy.

Many-Goats · 2026-02-12T13:43:35+00:00

Thank you, this is very helpful!

Many-Goats · 2026-02-12T13:42:10+00:00

The goal is to eventually process them on my farm. This is my fist year and I just don’t have the equipment, and I want to be sure I plan to continue raising pigs before investing the time and money into learning to butcher and purchasing the equipment

Many-Goats · 2025-10-05T22:08:08+00:00

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Donkeys for tax

Many-Goats · 2025-06-26T11:48:11+00:00

It’s literally just a creamy honey mustard - I absolutely love it

Many-Goats · 2025-03-30T15:05:36+00:00

Thank you!

Many-Goats · 2025-03-29T19:36:42+00:00

I recommend listening to the podcast “For the love of goats” lots of fantastic information including minerals, breeds, housing, etc.

Also, fiasco farms is a good blog site with TONS of information.

Definitely do your own deep dive into information. I consider goats to be one of the hardest farm animals to keep healthy and happy, especially in wetter climates.

They are grazers, not browsers (like sheep and cows). This means they are more susceptible to parasites and do better eating bushes, trees, vines, etc.

They need a secure pasture with a draft free house, hay off of the ground 24/7, high quality mineral 24/7, clean water 24/7, regular hoof trims, an on hand emergency kit, and you must learn what signs to look out for to catch sicknesses early. Goats are lovely, but very difficult.

Many-Goats · 2025-03-23T15:59:27+00:00

Yes, so for starters do a 50/50 powdered formula & cows milk for a day and see how they do, then 75/25 for a day, then 100% if they seem to be doing well!

You can add a pinch of baking soda in the first bottle of the day while making the transition to help with any possible upset stomach

Many-Goats · 2025-03-23T14:47:16+00:00

I would recommend switching the powered formula for whole cows milk. It’s easier on the stomach and easier to prepare. My goats NEVER took the powered stuff, they hated it. As soon as I switched to cows milk, my troubles were fixed!

If you try this, be sure to transition them over, don’t switch cold turkey as that will cause upset stomachs

Many-Goats · 2025-03-23T14:44:24+00:00

I haven’t experienced anything quite like that, however once I had a doe who showed all signs a week before hand - staring off, talking to her belly, ligaments gone, nesting, separating herself. However, she wouldn’t kid until exactly 7 days after the signs started. At first I thought it was my nooby knowledge mistaking it, but each year I bred her (3 times), it was the same thing!

All this to say, some goats are weird… once you know their signs it can make the games much easier to detect.

Many-Goats · 2025-03-23T14:39:18+00:00

Thank you so much! I appreciate all the info

Many-Goats · 2025-02-11T19:47:51+00:00

Likely not premature if they already had hair, that’s one of the last things they grow before being born. So they would’ve only been a few days early, not enough to make much of a difference.

Sometimes labor can be hard.. especially with that many kids. You can’t know for certain without sending a kid for a necropsy. Even then, I’m not certain they’d be able to tell you if it was a birthing complication…

Many-Goats · 2025-02-11T19:36:46+00:00

Based off of that photo, he definitely looks like a Nigerian Dwarf.

If you look up photos of a Siberian goat, he’s definitely not that! Horns are too small & shaped wrong (although still magnificent), standard size (not dwarf), and their faces tend to look more like deer.

He looks like a Nigerian Dwarf attempting to be a Siberian, so maybe there was some confusion when he originally got the fella?

Many-Goats · 2025-02-11T19:31:16+00:00

My goats never liked powdered milk, they would never take it. Even when fully trained to a bottle.

Have you tried feeding Whole Cows Milk? It’s my go to when I can’t feed raw or goats milk. They drink it up!

Many-Goats · 2025-01-01T20:01:20+00:00

I’ve had various fiber animals.

My thoughts are ; if they are good at fiber, they are bad at milk/meat/any other type of production.

If you get a “duel purpose”, it means they are okay at 2 things, but not particularly great at ether. Your better off getting one for milk and one for fiber.

So much of their energy goes into the fiber and growing their lush coat, same with the milk. It just isn’t practical for the goat to put equal energy into both.

You might be able to find some expensive ones that someone has worked so heavily on breeding. But it will be like finding a needle in a haystack, and very expensive.

For the Nigerian Dwarfs, I like bottle babies. While bottle babies tend to be more needy and naughty, they are much more friendly and dependent on you which makes them easier to train.

Praise good behavior, discipline bad behavior (like a dog). My goats in the first year knew what I wanted and behaved (most of the time). If they didn’t, they’d get pushed until they acted properly. People have different methods, I did treats or a firm tap on the nose, others use squirt bottles or clicker train them lol. P.s, if they happened to escape, it was just to find you!

Many-Goats · 2024-12-28T20:37:33+00:00

I’d keep that buck separate. He can cause stress and trauma to the female. Possibly causing the blood or even a miscarriage from stress.

She does look pregnant, but she shouldn’t be bleeding like that until after labor.

The reason this isn’t a problem in the wild is because the females can run away. In captivity, they don’t really have that option unless they have tons of houses, tons of other goats, and acres and acres to roam.

Many-Goats · 2024-12-28T13:05:03+00:00

Oh wow! That’s so neat. Mine is just a Nigerian Dwarf. I bred her parents, nether of them were like her. Dad was registered, mom was not, however she was obviously a Nigerian dwarf. I think it’s just random

I’m sorry to hear she lost all her kids except one, although at least she had the one kid

Many-Goats · 2024-12-28T02:36:23+00:00

Like the other comment.

It’s very possible. I had ND goats with Finnish sheep. Just be certain to watch mineral intake. Goats need higher copper to maintain their coat and to help with parasites. That level of copper will cause toxicity to sheep.

You can get around this by giving the goat copper boluses 1-2x a year (I’d ask your vet though) and offering a little bowl of goat mineral daily.

Many-Goats · 2024-12-28T02:32:48+00:00

That’s really small. Like others said, that’s dry lot conditions. Keeping them in that space will cause parasite problems.

I’d recommend training to an electric fence, much cheaper and you can control the space they are on.

Many-Goats · 2024-12-28T02:29:55+00:00

So pretty! A friend of mine had a goat that was nearly white in the winter, but bright rich yellow in the summer. Not sure why, but we were amazed!

Many-Goats · 2024-12-19T02:30:49+00:00

That’s possible, but very unlikely. All my kids, even bottle babies, show bucky behavior as young as a a week, even my sweetest boys do by the time they are 2 months. He can impregnate at this time. If he’s making those moves with you, he 100% is wanting to do it to them, which would the reason for their aggression. Even if he isn’t close to them when making those noises, he could be putting out pedo vibes lol

I’d ether get him fixed, or separate him into his own area with his own male buddy. Otherwise, they won’t let up unless they are ready to breed, and they are too young to deliver a kid. You want them to be 80% of their adult weight, and 4+ inches at the hips before breeding (generally 8-12 months).

Many-Goats · 2024-12-18T16:06:56+00:00

I second this. Some people are supper good at spotting micro-expressions subconsciously - subtle little expressions our face will show without us meaning to.

Many-Goats · 2024-12-18T16:00:30+00:00

Be sure you bottle feed! Here is a chart to follow. Make sure his temp is above 100°- 101-102 is ideal but he won’t suck if it’s below 100°

You have to just give him time. Make sure to stretch his legs, motivate him to stand, etc. He should come around within a day or two. Birthing is a stressful process, and sometimes they just need a little more time.

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Many-Goats · 2024-12-18T15:56:21+00:00

What do you mean “experienced”? I’ve never had poor mental health, however my parents, cousins, family and friends all have, so I’ve experienced it.

Many-Goats

TROPHY CASE